2-Liter Bottles and Botanical Gardens: Using Inquiry to Learn Ecology

In the project presented in this article, high school students create and observe miniecosystems in an ecology unit designed around a 5E (engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation) instructional model. Students choose a wide variety of organisms and use creativity to design miniecosystems.     

数字化植物园的理论与技术思考—以华南植物园为例

植物园是通过人工模拟区域自然环境和群落结构,实现物种多样性高度富集并进行相关科学研究的机构,也是生物多样性保育、科普教育、资源储存和开发利用的基地。随着信息技术的发展及其在植物园中的应用,将产生数字化植物园。在研究数字化植物园发展历史的基础上,提出广义和狭义的数字化植物园定义,并以华南植物园的数字化建设内容为例,探讨了数字化植物园的信息技术体系、虚拟植物和专类园智能化管理技术等理论与技术体系结构。     

探究性教学解析

新一轮基础教育改革十分重视探究性教学的实施,但是探究性教学的研究与实践在我国尚处在起步阶段,为更好地理解探究性教学,促进它的研究与实施,试从历史发展的角度探讨探究性教学的若干关系。     

注意植物迁地保护中的遗传风险

稀有濒危植物迁地保护的长期目标之一就是要保护物种的遗传多样性和进化潜力。介绍了稀有濒危植物在植物园迁地保护过程中存在的一系列遗传风险。由于引种或取样的不足,容易导致被保存的物种缺乏足够的遗传代表性;盲目的引种、不合理的定植以及材料的来源不清则会导致稀有濒危植物的遗传混杂、近交衰退或杂交衰退;人为选择和生长环境的改变也容易造成濒危物种对迁地保护的遗传适应。在实际的迁地保护工作中,这些遗传风险往往被忽视。植物迁地保护中遗传风险将严重影响稀有濒危物种的回归和恢复。植物园应当重视濒危植物的遗传管理,以降低或避免迁地保护中的遗传风险。Abstract: Conserving genetic diversity of rare and endangered species and their evolutionary potential is one of the long-term goals of ex-situ conservation. Some potential genetic risks in ex-situ conservation in botanical gardens are presented. The preserved species may lack genetic representativity because of poor sampling. Inappropriate plantations, inadequate records and unclear kinships jeopardize endangered species to genetic confusion, inbreeding depression or outbreeding depression. Artificial selection and habitat conversion also potentially result endangered plants in adapting to ex-situ conservation, which had been usually overlooked. All the genetic risks can decrease the success of reintroduction and recovery. Therefore, appropriate genetic management should be carried out in botanical gardens to decrease or avoid genetic risks in ex-situ conservation.     

全球植物园发展历史、现状与展望

植物园具有渐进式古老根源, 其理念源远流长, 可追溯至华夏草药文明史上的“神农本草园”。而现代植物园的历史则可追溯到早期欧洲大学的药用植物园, 其前身为中世纪草药园, 是传统植物学和古代园林的历史传承与时代演进。历经欧洲文艺复兴后500年的演进, 现代植物园不仅是重要的科学艺术中心, 而且已发展成为自然、文化、艺术和科学交融的植物学机构。同时, 不断面临新挑战、适应新变化、承担新使命, 目前全球植物园已步入多模式并存、以迁地保护为核心使命的可持续发展时代。展望未来, 我国国家植物园建设应建立更高效运行的植物迁地保护体系, 遵循更严格的科学标准, 实施更高水准的专业管理, 有效弥合植物园的历史遗产与当前的保护需求。我国植物园界要坚持迁地保护优先理念, 在深入评价迁地植物区系的价值基础上, 建立国家活植物收集体系、开展高水平科学研究, 建设中国特色、世界一流、万物和谐的国家植物园体系, 推进植物保护研究、资源发掘应用和经济社会可持续发展。     

Local Tree Mapping: A Collaborative,Place-Based Activity Integrating Science,Technology, Math,and Geography

This inquiry-based activity designed for the fifth through 12th grade allows students to engage in an outdoor, place-based experience, working collaboratively both in groups and as a class to accomplish the class goal of creating a local tree map linked to student-collected data about each tree. During Local Tree Mapping, students explore the local trees in the yard or neighborhood of the school, while learning basic skills in geographical information systems and Microsoft Excel. Through this activity, students gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the role of trees within the Earth's ecosystems, as they collect data on tree type, height, diameter, age, and the longitude and latitude of the trees. An extension activity is described in which students can enter their tree data into a carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions reduction calculator to determine how much CO₂ is sequestered by the trees in their research site. Local Tree Mapping provides an opportunity for students to gain inquiry skills in science, mathematics, and geography as they participate firsthand in the collection, analysis, and presentation of real-world data that can be utilized by the local community.     

论我国国家植物园体系建设: 以任务带学科构建国家植物园迁地保护综合体系

植物园诞生的原初是“皇家”或“国家”意志的产物, 植物园的概念从公元前2,800年我国的“神农本草园”起源, 至今已历经沧桑巨变, 而西方文艺复兴后演替出了现代植物园。科研、保护、教育与示范四大功能始终是植物园的主线。植物园作为专门从事野生植物收集、科学研究、引种驯化和保护利用的专业研究机构, 始终肩负着国家的重要使命。本文系统综述了植物园的起源与演变, 并对世界各国的国家植物园与国家植物园体系进行了系统梳理和分析。在对我国植物园历史与发展概况总结的基础上, 论述了我国国家植物园体系建设的定位与目标、区域布局、科学研究、人才队伍、基础设施等五个方面的思考, 以任务带学科构建我国国家植物园迁地保护综合体系。     

Annapurna expedition game: applying molecular biology tools to learn genetics

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we present an activity called ‘Annapurna Expedition’ through which students should apply basic concepts of genetics to solve a worldwide pandemic disease. Players take the role of scientists, involved in a research to find out which pathogen causes this pandemic and which could be the best way to solve it. Students have the opportunity to use BLAST software as a scientific bioinformatic tool to discover the main game’ enigmas. The activity uses game-based science learning methodology. This methodology incorporates multiple tools and resources, rely on learning by doing, guiding learners through a path of events and into a way of thinking. It provides students to take information from many sources and make decisions, to deduce a game’s obstacles, to understand complex systems and to collaborate with other classmates.

The activity has been developed for a range of audiences, including high school students and pre-service teachers. A case study has been carried out with a group of 80 primary pre-service teachers from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) in Tarragona (Spain) in order to verify whether this activity was well designed, engage students and it is satisfactorily implemented.     

The Earth's Magnetic Field: A Simple Measurement of its Strength

Although most teachers agree that a field trip is an important educational experience for their students, many struggle with finding a way to make it connect with their classroom curriculum. Creating an effective field trip involves creating an effective lesson plan and using the resources of the museum, zoo, or aquarium to foster inquiry and learning. By incorporating the learning cycle into their field trip, students are able to use their explorations with animal-based exhibits to develop basic life science concepts.     

A Weed Cantilever

One dilemma science teachers face every day is balancing the content demands of state and federal testing requirements while providing opportunities for inquiry. Using the 5E learning cycle is a realistic, constructivist way to address this dilemma. The 5E learning cycle leads students through a sequence of learning in which they become engaged in a topic, explore that topic, are given an explanation for their experiences, elaborate on their learning, and are evaluated. This article outlines a 5E learning cycle introducing middle/high school students to the cell.     

Book Review

Gould, Stephen Jay Ontogeny and Phylogeny Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1977 501 pp., $18.50